Open AccessPositive direct antiglobulin tests due to clavulanic acid
Author(s) -
Michael E. Williams,
D Thomas,
Colleen P. Harman,
PD Mintz,
Gerald R. Donowitz
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.27.1.125
Subject(s) - clavulanic acid , piperacillin , tobramycin , ticarcillin , hemolysis , hemolytic anemia , chemistry , coombs test , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , medicine , immunology , amoxicillin , antibody , biology , biochemistry , bacteria , gentamicin , pseudomonas aeruginosa , genetics
Clavulanic acid, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, was found to be associated with the development of a positive direct antiglobulin test. Of 23 antibiotic courses in patients treated with ticarcillin, clavulanic acid, and tobramycin, 10 (43.5%) developed positive direct antiglobulin tests versus 2 of 26 (7.7%) patients treated with piperacillin and tobramycin (P = 0.0044). In vitro immunohematological studies showed that clavulanic acid caused a nonimmunologic adsorption of plasma proteins onto the erythrocyte surface. Hemolysis was not associated with such nonimmunologic adsorption. However, the resulting positive antiglobulin test might delay cross matching of blood products for transfusions or interfere with the evaluation of true immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.